1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to broadcast receivers and, more particularly, is directed to broadcast receivers intended for use in combination with external appliances, such as, video tape recorders.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A rise of interest in satellite broadcasting in recent years has been reflected in a substantially increased number of satellite broadcast receivers in use by members of the general population. Since satellite broadcasting of television programing is presently conducted throughout the entire day, that is, for 24 hours, so as to make efficient use of the limited number of satellites available for that purpose, it is necessary that at least the television programs broadcast during off-hours, that is, during working or sleeping hours, be recorded by a timer-controlled video tape recorder for subsequent playback and viewing. However, conventional video tape recorders (VTRs) seldom include an interlocking power source terminal or socket in which the plug of the power supply cord of a receiver can be inserted for interlocking operation of such receiver with the VTR under the control of the built-in timer of the VTR. Therefore, either a built-in timer of the receiver or tuner or an external timer for controlling the receiver or tuner, and the built-in timer of the VTR are set independently of each other. In addition to the setting of the built-in timer of the VTR and of the external or built-in timer of the tuner or receiver, a tape loading operation is performed and the VTR is then placed in its standby condition immediately before the time at which recording of the broadcast television signal is to commence, which time is hereinafter referred to as a "reserved picture recording time". In such case, at the reserved picture recording time, operation of the tuner for receiving and demodulating the broadcast signal and recording operation of the VTR are simultaneously commenced. Then, after the lapse of a predetermined interval of time, the operation of the tuner and the recording operation of the VTR are similarly halted. However, since the built-in or external timer for the tuner and the built-in timer of the VTR have to be independently set, the setting operations are undesirably complicated, and are susceptible to errors.